The effect of anger on substance abuse proclivity in individuals diagnosed with substance use disorders

Objective The aim of this study is to determine the effect of anger on substance abuse proclivity in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs).Methods This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 110 individuals who were followed up for SUDs in the psychiatric outpatient clinics at located in Eastern Türkiye between September 2024 and September 2025. The data were collected using Descriptive Characteristics Form, the State Anger Inventory (SAI), and the Substance Abuse Proclivity Scale (SAPS).Results The SAI total mean score of the individuals was 23.71 ± 5.05, while their SAPS total mean score was 23.17 ± 3.21. When the SAI and SAPS mean scores of the individuals were compared with their descriptive characteristics, no statistically significant differences was found (p > 0.05). A statistically positive moderate correlation was found between state anger and substance abuse proclivity (r = 0.321; p < 0.001).Conclusions It was found that the individuals had moderate levels of anger and substance abuse proclivity, anger levels of individuals with SUDs increased their substance abuse proclivity also increased. It may be recommended to integrate interventions to lower the level of anger and decrease substance abuse proclivity into the care plan of individuals.